Page 2 of Anathema
When I caught up to her side, I wrapped my hand around her arm and pulled her body towards me, turning her around and gripping both arms to keep her still. She kicked out again, and I flipped heraround, pulling her back into my chest to restrain her even further, one arm around her waist and the other across her chest.
“Easy there, sweetheart,” I murmured into her ear as she struggled in my grasp, both of us panting from the sudden sprint.
This woman was a fighter and not about to give in to anyone.
Good; I loved it when they fought against me. Her, even more.
“Let. Me. Go.” She gritted out through her teeth, and I could feel her hands that were pinned between us, attempting to grab me by the balls. I jerked my hips to the side, away from her reach, and tsked, spinning her once again to face me.
I raised my hand to grip her chin, pinning her gaze with mine.
“Don’t grab below the belt unless you plan on taking what’s there,” I taunted with a smirk.
She had me growing hard for her, my pulse racing, and my heart hammering in my chest. This was a high I had never experienced before, one that I wanted more of.
I wanted this woman for myself. I had to have her. The need to claim her was all-consuming.
“Gross, fuck you, perv.” She cringed, attempting to shake my hold of her chin.
I couldn’t help but laugh as she continued to fight.
“Care to tell me your name, pretty viper?” I questioned, releasing her from my grip. She took a step back, putting a little distance between us.
She wouldn’t get far if she decided to make another run for it, although I wouldn’t mind chasing her again. Come to think of it, there were many things I wouldn’t mind doing to her right now.
When she didn’t answer, I triedagain—more forcefully.
“You can either tell me your name, or you and your friend over there can tell the Deputy Director of the CIA who you are instead.” I challenged, gesturing over my shoulder.
“Is that so? What would your ‘Deputy Director’ say when I tell him his asshole of an agent let Atlas drive away with Chyler.” She scoffed, rolling her eyes.
“You honestly think he will listen to anything you have to say? You’ll be lucky if he lets you stand in his office for longer than five fucking minutes. Let’s go.” I grabbed her bicep and started dragging her back to the group.
“No. Wait.” She dug her heels into the pavement to stop me from dragging her any further. “Don’t take us in… Please.” She begged, looking up at me with a defeated sigh. “Alexis…” She whispered. I was confident she was playing me, going from savage to sweet within seconds.
I dragged the tip of my tongue along the back of my teeth as I gazed back into those beautiful eyes, and I just knew…
From that moment on, I knew this woman would consume me to no end.
I didn’t care who the fuck she was or what she did to get right here in front of me.
All I wanted was her—in every way.
Fuck.
Chapter 1
Alexis
“Eli,wouldyouquitfucking around already and send me the line of code I’ve asked for?” I was getting sick of his shit. While Eli had always been the best when it came to last-minute coding requests, he also liked to piss me off whenever he had the chance. He knew I was in a hurry, and I didn’t want to linger here longer than I already had.
I was in one of the fifth-floor display units of a new apartment complex in the North Loop. It was furnished but only enough to give the future tenants a taste of what they could expect from the layout of the place.
It was late, just after midnight, and I sat there in the dark unit. The full moon, shining through the sliding glass door, was my only light source. I couldn’t make it obvious that I was sitting in an unowned apartment.
You could stamp ‘Luxury’ on anything these days, and it would sell for three times market value, but this unit wasn’t that luxurious. Paint the cabinets that lined the open-concept kitchen white with brushed nickel hardware that matched the all-stainless steel appliances, and it was a luxury. Not to mention the ever-so-easy-to-stain light gray carpeting in the living room, contrasted with dark brown hardwood flooring.
I set myself up at the cheap Ikea desk in the corner of the living room. I had a good view out the sliding glass door, with the kitchen and main entrance into the unit at my back.
